Archaeologists

Explorers of the Human Past

Brian Fagan

Description

Including eccentric professors and adventuring fortune hunters of old and highly trained scientists of today, Archaeologists collects together biographies of more than 30 archaeologists of the past two centuries. In the process, Archaeologists presents an engaging portrait of how digging for treasure evolved into the respected and vital science we know today. Some of the archaeologists profiled include:* Giovanni Belzoni, the 19th-century archaeologist who brought the head of Ramesses II back to England* Heinrich Schliemann, the modern discoverer of prehistoric Greece whose excavations included Mycenae and the ancient city of Troy* Howard Carter, who discovered King Tut's tomb* Mary and Louis Leakey, whose discovery of humanoid fossils placed human evolution's beginning in AfricaFrom the romance of golden pharaohs and lost civilizations to computers, tree ring dating, and numerous other scientific methods, Archaeologists is a fascinating look at the explorers of the human past.

Archaeologists

Explorers of the Human Past

Brian Fagan

Reviews and Awards

"[Brian Fagan's] writing style is clear and interesting, making these essays much more enjoyable reading than encyclopedia articles....this is a brisk and informative volume." --School Library Journal

"Maps, timelines, a glossary, and a further reading resource list enhance the well-researched and interesting-to-read text." -- Dig!

"With Archaeologists: Explorers of the Human Past, Brian Fagan provides another accessible, readable, and enjoyable book on archaeology for the general public...These 33 adventurers, antiquarians, and scholars are profiled in thorough and concise essays, generously illustrated with black and white photographs, documents, field records, and maps....Archaeologists succeeds as an interesting introduction to the discipline for young readers, successfully balancing the great names of archaeology with some of the lesser known but important scholars....This book will be a welcome addition to libraries everywhere, and sure to become a ready reference source....The book might even be a useful addition to the disciplinary literature for undergraduates in that it provides and initial source for examining specific archaeologists and provides excellent citations for more in-depth reading and research." -- Historical Archaeology

"Those interested in the general field of archaeology will appreciate Fagan's work." --Catholic Library World